Volcano

Geothermal energy, the productive use of the vast quantity of thermal energy within Earth's crust, is one of the few renewable, low-carbon emission energy sources that can consistently generate power 24-hours a day, irrespective of the season.

Volcanologists from the University of Costa Rica’s National Seismological Network (RSN) are installing two video cameras and two thermal cameras at Poás Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the country.

The Challenge Irazú: It’s a marathon. On mountain trails. Around a volcano. Sound intense? It is. The Challenge Irazú combines multiple races on one action-packed day, which unfold around the breathtaking landscape of the Cartago canton.

Tourism entrepreneurs in the canton of Guatuso, in northeastern Alajuela, are on the verge of losing their businesses following the closure of a path known as “La Paz” that provides the community access to popular tourist destinations in the Tenorio Volcano National Park. Those destinations include Río Celeste, Laguna Azul, La Paz waterfall, and a sector of hot springs.

The crater of Poas Volcano expelled material 300 meters into the air at noon on Tuesday. The phenomenon, called a phreatic explosion, occurred due to a reaction between magma and water at the southern border of the lake inside the volcano. However, this was not an eruption and the volcano did not spew lava. Instead, a column of steam, gas and other materials formed and spouted out the top of the volcano, confirmed the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI).

Costa Rican officials don't mind the glowing, fuming volcano. In fact, you can take a closer look at Poás Volcano this weekend from a lookout point at the Poás National Park. The park is open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Recent volcanic activity in El Salvador and Guatemala has Central American geologists keeping an eye on the region’s volcanoes, including Costa Rica’s Rincón de la Vieja. While Rincón de la Vieja and some other Tico volcanoes have seen increased activity in recent years, geologists don’t foresee any immediate eruptions related to these giants.

A Tico Times reporter takes on Costa Rica's windiest lake on a windsurfing board.

Officials say more than 2,000 people were evacuated from the area, but no injuries have been reported.

The camp, which had a heliport, is the second heavily-armed site discovered in the mountains of Costa Rica in the last month, and could be linked to arms and drug traffickers.